Given the current economic climate, unemployment is at an all-time high. The media regularly reports on skills shortages and the dire need for artisans in the workforce. In addition, many companies have also expressed their concerns about finding suitably skilled, qualified and experienced artisans.

In a previous survey that was done conducted byAccelerate Cape Town in 2016, it was reported that South Africa will need 30 000 artisans by 2030. However, from research conducted by Network Recruitment, it was found that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of artisans currently in the job market that are struggling to find career opportunities.

Information gathered from Network Recruitment's database demonstrates that there are more than 3 500 artisans, including but not limited to electricians, fitters and turners and Boilermakers who are currently active in the market and seeking employment.

Information accessed from online platforms found the following in relation to artisans that are currently unemployed or on short- term contracts:

2 510 Electricians 

5 144 Fitters

869 Boilermakers

2 300 Mechanics

Even if these numbers are reduced by 50% to accommodate obsolete profiles or candidates that have recently found career opportunities, it remains concerning that the number of immediately available artisans seeking career opportunities is high.

Given the available information, it seems evident that there is a miscommunication or missing link somewhere. We are of the opinion that candidates struggle to reach the right employers and employers are struggling to find the perfect candidates.

Perhaps it's time that employers change the way they go about finding the right hire and turn to specialist recruitment agencies that specialise in this field to assist them. Network Engineering specialises in engineering recruitment, and we are confident that, given our years of specialist experience, we will find our clients the best candidates to meet their needs.

Network Engineering not only sources and identifies suitable candidates, but also interviews them to establish their skills and experience, reasons for leaving previous employers, qualifications etc. We also enter into conversations where we assess the risk of candidates accepting a counter offer and manage salary expectations. If a candidate is in the recruitment process with a prospective employer, we will verify their qualifications and do a background check to determine if they are legitimate. By making use of Network Engineering's services, employers can rest assured that the candidate is suitably qualified and does not have a criminal record.

Taking all of these processes and checks and balances into account, the value in making use of our specialist services, or any other similar agency's, is evident. Network Engineering will alleviate the pressure of going through hundreds of unsuitable CV's and significantly reduce the time it takes to find the right candidate. We understand the nature of our clients' businesses and the technical skills they require.

Zelda Botha is a Branch Manager at Network Recruitment.

Are you looking for an IT job, Finance job, Engineering job, or a Contracting assignment? Contact Network Recruitment, the centre of recruitment excellence.